-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The media circus that is Jodi Arias ' murder trial is in its final stretch , as the jury began deliberations Friday following closing arguments . The jury , which has been in court since January , will resume deliberations Monday .

It 's been an R-rated story , to say the least , with an abundance of testimony about grisly violence and , from Arias , details about a kinky sex life she says she shared with Alexander .

The case has captured massive if not total interest among Americans . While one part of the country watches CNN 's sister network HLN for every twist in the trial , or drives hours to get one of the courtroom 's limited lottery seats -LRB- yes , they 're doled out via lottery -RRB- , another segment of the nation asks , `` Jodi who ? ''

For those of you in the latter category , here are some things you should know as the trial comes to a close :

Travis Alexander

Lost in the salacious details of the `` Jodi Arias trial '' is the victim , Travis Alexander , 30 , who was brutally killed in his Mesa , Arizona , home in June 2008 .

Faith was an integral part of Alexander 's life . The professed son of methamphetamine addicts , Alexander was raised in Riverside , California , with three brothers and four sisters . His grandmother introduced him to Mormonism as a child .

After he graduated from high school he went on a two-year mission in Denver . He later moved to Mesa because of the strong Mormon community and became a motivational speaker and businessman . He also authored a book titled , `` Raising You . ''

Arias was living in Yreka , California , when she met Alexander at a business convention in Las Vegas in September 2006 . That November , he baptized Arias into the Mormon faith , a ceremony Arias said was followed by anal sex .

Arias became his girlfriend two months later , she testified . They broke up in the summer of 2007 , and Alexander began dating other women .

There were claims that Arias would stalk him , peering in his windows at times . Still , he and Arias continued to hang out on several occasions until -- disenchanted Arias says -- she moved back to Northern California . They continued to communicate .

The prosecution 's case

Alexander 's naked body was found crammed in a stand-up shower after he missed two appointments , prompting friends to go to his house . He had been stabbed 27 times in the back and torso and shot in the head . His throat was slit from ear to ear .

Arias initially told an investigator , `` I heard a lot of rumors , and that there was a lot of blood . '' She later claimed she killed him , albeit in self-defense .

Deputy Maricopa County Attorney Juan Martinez has accused Arias of playing the victim when , in fact , he alleges she staged the crime scene to make it look like self-defense and has actively sought to profit from the media attention .

Prior to Alexander 's killing , Martinez said , Arias stole her grandparents ' .25 - caliber pistol , rented a car in Redding , California , turned off her cell phone and brought along cans of gas so there would be no record that she was in Arizona .

`` The only reason to keep this whole thing a secret , which is what she tried to do , is because she was going to kill him , and she 's making preparations , '' the prosecutor said .

Finally , according to Martinez 's closing argument , after she killed Alexander , she hooked up with an out-of-state romantic interest so she would have an alibi .

`` She continues on to Utah into his waiting arms . Gosh , you can almost hear the violins making their sound as she goes up to him , gives him that first kiss . Is n't that romantic ? '' Martinez said .

Arias ' defense

Defense attorney Jennifer Willmott has said Arias was the victim of a controlling , psychologically abusive relationship and that Alexander considered Arias `` his dirty little secret . ''

Before Arias killed her ex in self-defense , Willmott claimed , she was subjected to rough vaginal sex . After she dropped Alexander 's new camera , he became violent , the defense said , and had Arias not defended herself , investigators would 've found Arias , not Alexander , dead in the bathroom .

Arguing the prosecution 's position that Arias was obsessed with Alexander and stalking him , another defense attorney , Kirk Nurmi , has said it did n't add up because Arias was active on a Mormon dating site .

`` Jodi ... was n't so locked in on Travis that she was n't looking for other men , '' Nurmi said .

As for the allegation that Arias attempted to surreptitiously slip in and out of Arizona without a trace , Nurmi pointed out that Arias went to the Redding , California , airport to rent her car for the trip .

`` An airport with security cameras and security all around , '' the defense attorney said , `` not some rental car agency on the outskirts of town -- an airport . That does n't make any sense if you 're on a covert mission . ''

Nurmi also questioned the merit of the prosecution 's gas can argument , saying Arias could have avoided a paper trail simply by paying with cash . She did n't need cans , he said .

Did Arias change her story ? Sure , Nurmi said , but that 's not what she 's standing trial for .

`` If Jodi Arias were accused of the crime of lying , I could not stand before you and say she 's not guilty of that crime , but nowhere in your jury instructions are you asked to convict Jodi Arias of lying , '' Nurmi said .

Fascination

If you did n't realize before , you probably see now why the case has drawn a cult following of sorts . It 's rife with sex , lies and digital images , many of them naughty , and the dueling attorneys are lively -- nay , bombastic -- in their arguments .

Arias herself has been tweeting from jail -- through a proxy , of course -- criticizing HLN and Martinez , and directing followers to a website that sells art on her behalf .

For some media outlets , the case is gold .

HLN has created a show , `` After Dark : The Jodi Arias Trial , '' which invites an in-studio and at-home audience to grade the day 's arguments . Its website is flush with every facet of the case , including a photo gallery containing 180 evidence photos .

The Huffington Post has similar coverage , and CNN affiliates KPHO and KNXV in Phoenix have special trial pages on their websites .

Before you lob cries of a sensationalist media profiting off a gruesome death , realize that people are clamoring for the coverage . HLN has enjoyed a ratings boost since the trial began , and people drive hours to see the trial for themselves .

Spectators began lining up Friday at 1 a.m. -- more than six hours before the courthouse opened -- to get a seat , according to KPHO .

Until April 25 , the public was given access on a first-come-first-served basis , but the judge changed it to a lottery system for closing arguments , the station reported .

Everardo McFarlane of Phoenix was none too happy with the change , as he was first in line Friday but did n't make the cut .

`` I just hope justice is served and that at least we get our $ 1.6 million worth with a conviction , '' McFarlane told KPHO , referring to the ever-increasing taxpayer expense on the trial .

R.D. Williams of Amarillo , Texas , did n't have the luxury of a short drive across town .

`` It 's 10 hours nonstop , two times to fuel up . I did n't bring no extra gas cans , '' Williams said , making a joke about a key argument in the case .

Potential outcomes

What could happen to Arias is anyone 's guess .

If the jury 's hung , she could face a retrial .

The prosecution , naturally , would like to see a first-degree murder conviction , as its case has revolved around Arias premeditating the killing . If convicted on this charge , Arias will face a mini-trial of sorts to determine if she killed Alexander cruelly and knew he would suffer .

A first-degree murder conviction could mean execution unless a jury grants her leniency , in which case she would get life in prison and may not be eligible for parole for at least 25 years .

If the prosecution ca n't prove premeditation , Arias could still be convicted of second-degree murder , commanding 10 to 22 years in prison . The jury can also decide that Arias killed Alexander recklessly or that he attacked her . She 'd then be convicted of manslaughter .

Lastly , the jury could find her not guilty or determine that she acted in self-defense and that her actions were reasonable . Either way , she 'd then be free to pursue her dream of becoming a professional photographer , and the media circus could move to another town .

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Jodi Arias ' murder trial began in January

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She is accused of murdering her boyfriend nearly five years ago

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She claims she acted in self-defense